Device for turning and edge-stitching round-cornered cuffs



Jan. 3, 1939 J. [MCDONALD 2,

DEVICE FOR TURNJLNG EDGE-STITCHING ROUND CORNERED CUFFS I Filed May 20, 1935 2 SheetS -YSheet 1 Jan. 3, 1939. J. l. MCDONALD DEVICE FOR TURNING AND EDGE-STITCHING RO UND 'CORNERED CUFFS Fi led May 20, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR TURNING AND EDGE-STITCH ING ROUND-CORNERED CUFFS John I. McDonald, St. Joseph, Mo.

Application May 20, 1935, Serial No. 22,477

8 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for turning and edge-stitching round cornered cuffs.

' Most cuifs for mens shirts are made according to the run up and turn method, which consists of using two blanks of cloth and stitching them together near one edge, the pieces of cloth being held with their outer sides together. This original stitching forms the shape of the outer edge of a cufi, and the border portion between the stitching and the edge of the material is subsequently to be turned in andstitched again by the stitching which forms the edge-stitching of a finished cufi. In the past, this process has required considerable skill in order to make a finished cuff neat in appearance.

By the use of'my invention, I am able to take a cufi which has been originally run up and turned outside out by an operator, and hold the cufi in position to be finally edge-stitched either in a straight line or in a curved line. The present form of cuff commonly in use is one which will require that a curved portion be stitched first, then a straight portion, and finally another curved-portion.

While this is the normal stitching cycle desired, (that is, curvestraightcurve) it will be possible with my device to start with either a curve or a straight portion.

In the past, it has been necessary to turn the cuff after the original stitching is finished and to crimp the edges thereof sufliciently to hold the marginal edge of the cuif in proper position to be finally edge-stitched.

By the use of my device, this marginal portion is properly held in position within the cuff as it is finally edge-stitched in one process.

An object of my invention is to provide a device for completing the turning of a. cuff and presenting the cuff to the needle of a sewing-machine in position to be edge-stitched, the turning of the cuff to be simultaneous with the stitching operation.

further object of my device is to provide means for holding a cuff to be edge-stitched A either in a curved or a straight line.

A further object of my invention is to provide means which will hold a cufi to be edge-stitched and properly position the marginal portion between the two outer layers of a cuff so that the finished product will be smooth on both sides.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my device and a portion of a conventional sewing-machine;

, 2 isa plan'view;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of my device with the top guide blade removed;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a disassembled perspective View of the two sets of guide-blades.

I utilize a conventional sewing-machine, which has either one needle as shown in the drawings, or which may have two or more needles, the number of needles being dependent on the type of edge-stitching which it is desired to produce. The top-plate 2 of the sewing machine is mounted on the table 4 to which I attach my cufi guiding device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

I provide a base 6 whichis adapted to be fastened by means of countersunk screws 8 or any other suitable means to the table 4. The purpose of the plate 6 is to raise the other portions of my device so that they will be in proper alignment with the needle and presser-foot 3 of the sewing-machine.

I provide an elliptical plate H) which is slidably secured to the'base 6 by means of countersunk screws 12 in the slots 14.

A T-shaped arm I5 is pivotally secured to the elliptical plate I 0 by means .of the pivot I 8. A stop Zllis upstanding from the adjustable plate l0 in position to form a stop for the T-shaped arm l6 when the, arm is in its proper operative position.

On the part of the T-shaped arm l6 remote from the pivot I8, I provide a U-shaped channel 22, which channel is adapted to hold and guide the cufl" guide members, which will be described hereinafter. The U-shaped channel 22 is riveted or secured in any suitable manner to the portion of the T-shaped arm l6 remote from the pivot I8.

The cuff guiding plates 24 and 24' constitute one pair, and are provided with curved outer extremities 26. The'cuif guiding plates 28 and 28 constitute a second pair and are provided with straight extremities 30 at right-angles to the edges of the plates 24 and 24'.

The cufi guiding plates 24 and 24' are spaced apart and secured together by means of the rackbar 32 which is held between the cufi guiding plates by suitable rivets, bolts, or by welding or any other means on one side thereof at the end remote from the curved extremities 26.

The cuff guiding plates 28 and 28' are likewise spaced apart and are secured together by means of the rack-bar 34, which is likewise positioned on one side of the guide plates 28 and 28 at the end thereof remote from the straight extremities 38.

The pair of guide plates 28 and 28' are adapted to be positioned between the blades 24 and 24' of the other pair of cufi guiding plates.

When these two pairs of cufi guiding plates are assembled, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the rack-bars 32 and 34 will assume the positions shown in Fig. 3 and the curved extremities 26 of the guide plates 24.and 24 will be in an extended position, the straight extremities 30 of the guide plates 28 and 28 being in a retracted position. While these pairs of guide plates 24 and 24' and 28 and 28 are in their assembled position, a pinion-gear 36 is placed between the two rack-bars and is held in position by a suitable bolt 38 being passed therethrough from under the T-shaped arm I 6,. through the U- shaped channel 22, the pinion 36, and a slot 40 in the guide-plate 24.

After the bolt 38 has been placed in position, a knurled handle 42 is placed over the end thereof and is secured thereto by a set-screw or any other suitable means. The knurled knob42 is provided with a flared base 44, which is sufiiciently large in diameter to extend over the edges of the slot 40, thereby holding the guide plates in their assembled position.

On the sewing-machine I provide a substantially L-shaped flange 46 in alignment with the needle and presser-foot 3 of the sewing-machine. This L-shaped flange 46' is adapted to provide an abutment against which the guide-plates 24-24, 28-28 hold the cuff while it is being edge-stitched.

In preparing a cuff to be edge-stitched, the cufi is first stitched along the edge, while the outer sides of the finished cuff are together. When it is desired to complete the edge-stitching, the operator turns the cuff outside out. and places the entering portion of the cuff over the. guide plates 24-24 (it being understood that generally a curved edge is to be stitched first, as recited above).

The marginal portion of the cuff between the edge thereof and the original stitching extends between the guide plates 24-24 while the other portion of 'the cufl is held back over the outside of these guide plates. In this manner the marginal edge of the cuff is held smooth and in proper position within the outer pieces of material which are to form the cuff, and the material is at the same time held by the guide plates 24-24 in position against the L-shaped flange 46 and in the path of the needle of the sewingmachine.

As the stitching is done, the cuff will be guided around a curved portion, a straight portion, and a curved portion, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

For the purpose of further explanation, let it be assumed that a curved portion of the cuff is being edge-stitched; While the curved portion is being edge-stitched, the device will be in the position shown in the drawings with the guide plates 24-24 in their extended position so that the curved extremities 26 will guide the cuff to the sewing-machine needle.

After the curved portion of the cuff has been stitched and it is desired to stitch the straight edge of the cuff, the knurled knob is turned in a counterclockwise direction, whereby the rack-gear 36 is turned and the rack-bar-32 is moved to the left, retracting the guideplates 24-24. At the same time, the rackbar '34 is moved to the right, and the guide-plates 28-28 are extended into the position in which the guideplates 24-24 have been, the straight extremities 38 holding the cuff against the L-shaped flange 46 and in position to be stitched by the machine. After the straight edge has been stitched, and it is necessary again to stitch a curved edge, the knurled handle 42 is turned in a clockwise direction and the guide-plates 28-28 are retracted as the guide-plates 24-24 are extended to hold the cuff while it is being edge-stitched around a curve.

To retract and extend the guide-plates 24-24 and 23-28, it will be necessary only to turn the knurled handle 42 through approximately one hundred and twenty (120) degrees, which turn, of course, takes only a fraction of a second, and, therefore, it isnot necessary to stop the sewingmachine while the straight edge guide plates are being substituted for the curved edge guide plates, or vice versa, the cuff being held in position to be stitched at all times.

After the cuff has been completely edgestitched, the guide-plates are swung away from the sewing-machine by turning, the T-shaped arm it on the pivot pin I8. While the guide-plates are in this position, a new unfinished cuff may be placed over the edges 28 or 38 of. the guideplates 24-24 or 28-28, after which the lshaped arm l6 and its associated mechanism may be swung back until it abuts against the stop- 28 and the cuff is in position to be edge-stitched as described above.

While I have disclosed and described a simple and very satisfactory form which my device has taken, it will be understood that many minor changes, for example in the position of the rackbars and the guide means, may be made with,- out departing from the. spirit of the invention. Also it is to be understood that. while I have shown a single needle sewing-machine, my positioning device may be utilized on any sewingmachine, such as one having two or more needles positioned to make two or more lines of stitching.

I claim:

lfln a device for guiding cuffs to be edgestitched, an arm pivotally secured to a base plate, a substantially U-shaped channel member secured to said arm, and guide plates slidable within said U-shaped channel member, said guide plates being adjustable to align with the needle of a sewing-machine.

2. In a device of the character described, an arm pivotally secured to a base plate, a U-shaped channel secured to said arm, two pairs of guide plates slidable within said channel. member, and means for sliding said guide plates.

3. In a. device of the character described, an arm pivotally secured to a base plate, a U-shaped channel member secured to said arm at the end thereof remote from said pivotal connection, two pairs of guide plates slidably secured within said channel member, andmeans for sliding one. pair of said guide plates in one direction while sliding the other pair in the opposite direction.

4. In an edge-stitching device, the combination of an arm connected with a base plate, a pair of guide plates slidably secured to said arm, a

5. man edge-stitching device, the combine-,-

tion of an arm pivotally secured to a base, a substantially U-shaped channel member secured to said arm, a pair of guide plates slidably secured in said channel member, a pair of guide plates slidable within the first-mentioned pair of guide plates, means for moving said pairs of guide plates relative to one another, and means cooperating with said guide plates for holding material to be edge-stitched.

6. In an edge-stitching device, the combination of an arm pivotally secured to a base, a substantially U-shaped channel member secured to said arm, a pair of guide plates slidably secured in said channel member, a pair of guide plates slidable within the first-mentioned pair of guide plates, means for moving said pairs of guide plates relative to one another, means cooperating with said guide plates for holding material to be edge-stitched, one pair of said guide plates having curved ends, the other pair having straight ends.

7. In an edge-stitching device, the combination of two pairs of guide plates, one pair of said guide plates being slidable within the other pair, and rack and pinion means for sliding the said pairs of guide plates and holding them in guiding position.

8. In an edge-stitching device, the combination of two pairs of guide plates, one pair of said guide plates spaced apart by a rack bar, and the other pair of guide plates spaced apart by a rack bar and interposed between the plates of the firstmentioned pair of guide plates and pinion means engaging said rack bars for moving said pairs of guide plates simultaneously in opposite directions.

JOHN I. MCDONALD. 

